Sydney's Story (by Justin)

Those of you who know me well also know that I've never really been a huge fan of newborn babies. All they do is lay there making spastic limb movements and weird faces. And what makes one baby more cute than another? They all look the same. Of course everyone told me it's different when its your own, but how different could it be? Well, those of you who know me also know that I'm a humble guy, and although it doesn't happen often, I am willing to admit when I'm wrong and when someone else is right. From my experiences this past week, I can say that everyone else was right. Aug 5th started with Summer experiencing regular rhythmic contractions which soon led us to our birthing center. Since it feels like nine months is forever and the baby is never really going to come, I wasn't expecting much. At least a hundred miles of walking and nine hours later, we were in the heat of battle. Summer did so well. She hardly complained the whole nine months of her pregnancy, and she handled the pain of natural childbirth with grace. My main job was to not make fun of Summer if she made silly noise's while coping with the pains of contractions, and I was focusing on this when the midwife (Jean) said she could see the head of our baby. Jean lets the chiropractic students have the option of delivering their own babies (with her assistance) so this was my cue to snap on some gloves. I was still expecting it to be a while before I was up to bat because of other long birthing videos I'd seen, but before I knew it, I was helping Sydney's head through it's last barrier. This is where I got the first glimpse of Syd's bright red hair. Once the head was through, Jean helped a bit with the shoulders and Sydney glided halfway out and into my hands. I gently pulled her the rest of the way out and immediatly set her on her mother's chest. It's hard to describe the emotions that one feels at that time, and those of you who have had children know. Here was this perfect little person, pure and innocent from our Heavenly Father. With a little mini nose, mini toes and fingers, formed perfectly in only nine months. What a miracle, what a blessing. I now understand what people mean when they say it's different when it's yours. Every spastic limb movement, every weird face she makes fills my heart with joy. I can sit and watch her for hours. Hours of just staring. When she wraps those perfect little fingers around mine and looks up at me, my heart melts. I'm smitten. I'm in deep smit. I've already started building stockades for when she gets old enough to date. So I was wrong, not all babies look the same. Mine is by far the cutest, and I'm a humble enough guy to admit when I'm wrong.